The standard diesel engine and gearbox in the 110 Defenders have been replaced by a 94bhp, 330Nm electric motor twinned with a 300-volt, lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 27kWh, giving a range of more than 50 miles.

In typical, low speed off-road use it can last for up to eight hours before recharging.

The battery can be fully charged by a 7kW fast charger in four hours, or a portable 3kW charger in 10 hours.

Because the electric motor delivers maximum torque from the moment it starts, there’s no need for gear shifting and the transmission comprises a single speed, 2.7:1 reduction gearbox combined with the existing Defender four-wheel drive system.

The vehicles were developed by Land Rover’s Advanced Engineering Team following successful trials of the Defender-based electric vehicle, Leopard 1.

The vehicles’ capability has been tested in extreme and environmentally sensitive conditions, demonstrating capabilities not shared by conventional road-going EVs.

Trials included pulling a 12-tonne ‘road train’ up a 13 percent gradient and wading to a depth of 800mm.